Shot-feeding means for core-drilling apparatus.



F. H. DAVIS. SHOT FEEDING MEANS FOR GORE DRILLING APPARATUS.,

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, 1907.

v Patented NOV. 3', 1908.

WITNESSES: 4. r. W

ATTORNEYS TERS cov, wnsumamrv, n. :4

FRANCIS H. DAVIS,

OF EAST LAKE, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHOT-FEEDING- MEANS FOR CORE-DRILLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application filed April 26, 1907. Serial No. 370,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Lake, Jefferson county, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shot-Feeding Means for Gore-Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to means for feeding shot to core drilling apparatus employing the shot system, and consists in a reservoir for shot arranged in open communication with the water as it is being supplied to the drill for the purpose of washing up detritus, etc., and means for periodically projecting a quantity of the shot into the current of water as it passes the reservoir, so that the said shot will be carried to the drill with the water.

My invention also consists in many novel details of construction in the apparatus itself, including a novel form and shape of the reservoir, and in a novel bucket scoop arranged to be plunged into the shot to receive a supply therefrom, to be lifted with such supply of shot into the current of water, and to be tipped so as to dump the supply of shot in the direction of flow of the water, all as will be clearly set forth hereinafter, and, in order that my invention may be fully understood, 1 will describe in detail an embodiment thereof, having reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating same, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

The main object of my invention is to provide for the feeding of shot to a shot drill without the employment of valves or other moving parts such as would be likely to be affected by wear caused by the action of the shot thereon. The shot, as is well known, should be fed into the hollow drill rods, and the most convenient way of so feeding it is to connect in some way therewith through the water supply. The difficulty in the past, however, has been that the valves employed in any system have been almost immediately cut to pieces by the action of the shot.

The so-called shot itself comprises small chilled metal spheres,

and out very much affecting mixed in with the shot are a number of exceedingly minute and very hard particles which often too have sharp abrasive surfaces. Such material even when dry quickly cuts any wearing surfaces with which it comes into contact, but when wet, as when mixed with the water, the wear is very much more rapid, and, indeed, in the past has proved to be such a factor as to render such devices useless after but a very short time. in maintaining the shot in open communication with the water as it is being supplied to the drill, but just out of line with the current, I am enabled to dispense with the use of valves entirely. Whether the bucket or scoop which I employ wears much or little is entirely immaterial, as it is not fitted accurately to anything, and there is no chance of leakage due to its wearing. Furthermore, it is very easy to regulate the amount of shot fed with a bucket of this description, and any shot which is not carried over merely falls back into the reservoir and is never wasted, or allowed to fall in the drill machinery.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a shot feeding device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a view in central vertical section therethrough, the plane of section being taken at right angles to the plane of section of Fig. 2.

The device includes a reservoir 5 having a suitable base 6 by which it is supported, and a neck 7 having branches 8 and 9 for connection with the water supply for the drill, the branch 8 being, in the present instance, the branch through which water from the supply pipe 10 enters, while the branch 9 is the one through which the water passes again to the said supply 10. The neck 7 and branches 8 and 9 are in open communication with the reservoir at all times, as will be clear by reference to the drawings, so that the said reservoir 5 is in constant open communication with the supply pipe 10. In practice the reservoir and neck: will fill up with water while the current of water supply will pass through the pipe 10 and through the upper end of the neck 7 withthe contents of the reservoir, though the said contents are directly open to such currents. The device is provided with a stem 11, which passes through a stufiing boX 12 in the upper end of the neck 7 as shown, the lower end of the said stem carrying a bucket 13 pivotally secured thereto by a pin 14. The bucket 13 is pointed at one end, as at 15, and at the other end has a lip 16 which tends to overbalance the said bucket in one direction. Normally the said bucket is disposed with the lip 16 pointing upwards and the point 15 pointing downwards, the said bucket passing freely through the contracted porti on of the neck 7 while in this position. It may be here noted that the neck 7 has a part 17 which projects downward into the reservoir in order to prevent tipping of the bucket while the said bucket is in the reservoir. By forcing the bucket into the reservoir, the same will be plunged into shot contained therein, and the said bucket will receive a certain quantity of the shot ready for a feeding operation. Upon a feeding operation the stem 11 is lifted, which lifts the bucket with the shot contained therein up through the contracted portion of the neck 7 to the upper end thereof. As the bucket approaches the upper end it-will engage a cross pin 18, which will act as a cam to turn the bucket over, so that the loop 16 thereof will point in the direction of the branch 9. The bucket will now be directly in line with the current of water, and the effect of so tipping the bucket will be to dump the contents thereof into the supply pipe 10 through the branch 9. The rush of water will carry the shot forward to feed it to the drill, as will be well understood. On a downward movement of the stem 11 the bucket will be righted again by its contact with the shoulder 19, which is formed at the intersection of the contracted portion of the neck 7 and the branch 9, and the bucket may be again plunged into the reservoir to the position shown in Fig. 2. The stem 11 is provided with a suitable hand piece 20 at the upper end thereof, by which it may be operated, and with a guide stem 21 for the purpose of properly guiding the said stem and preventing the same from turning.

What I claim is:

1. A shot feed device for core drills com prising a closed reservoir arranged to be in constant open communication with water under pressure as it is being supplied to the drill, and means independent of the action of the water being supplied, for feeding shot from the reservoir to the water supply as it passes to the drill.

2. A shot feed device for core drills comprising a closed reservoir for shot arranged to be connected in permanent free communication with the drill, and means independent of the action of the water being supplied, for feeding shot contained in the reservoir through the said connection to the drill.

3. 111 a shot feed device for core drills, the combination with a closed reservoir for containing shot, said reservoir having means whereby the upper portion thereof may be connected with the water supply so that the said upper portion will be included as a part of the channel for the water as it is being supplied to the drill, of means for lifting shot from the lower portion of the said reservoir up to the line of the water current, whereby shot will be carried forward by the current of water for feeding purposes.

4. A shot feeding device for core drilling apparatus comprising a reservoir for shot, branch connections at the upper end by which the same may be inserted in a line of piping which leads to a drill, said branches being in open communication with the said reservoir, and means for lifting shot from the reservoir and dumping same into that branch which is in the direction of flow of water through the pipe.

5. In a shot feed device for core drilling apparatus, the combination with a reservoir for containing shot, means in open communication therewith for connecting same with a source of water supply on the one side and the drill upon the other, a bucket, and means for lifting same from a position to receive shot in said reservoir to a position to project same into the source of water supply to the drill.

6. In a shot feed device for core drilling apparatus, the combination with a reservoir, of a pivoted bucket arranged to be plunged into shot contained in the reservoir, and means for lifting the bucket with the shot therein to a position to discharge same at a point above the reservoir, for feeding purposes.

7. In a shot feed device for core drilling apparatus, the combination with a reservoir having a portion arranged to contain shot and a discharge portion thereabove, of an operating stem, a bucket pivoted thereto, arranged to be plunged into the shot contained in the said reservoir, and an abutment for tripping the bucket when moved up to the said discharge portion.

8. In a shot feed device for core drilling apparatus, the combination with a vessel having a reservoir portion at the lower end thereof and a discharge portion at the upper end in open communication therewith, an operating stem arranged longitudinally in said vessel, a bucket pivoted at the lower end of said stem, means for maintaining the bucket in a vertical position when passing into the reservoir portion of the vessel, and an abutment for tipping the bucket to dump the contents thereof when the same is moved to a position in line with the discharge portity of the shot may be lifted mechanically 10 tion of the said vessel. at will to the said connecting means.

9. A shot feed device for core drills com- In witness whereof I hereunto set my prising a vessel whose lower portion constii hand. 1 tutes a reservoir for containing shot, ELHL whose upper portion is provided with a FRANCIS DAVIS means for connecting the same in closed con- Witnesses: nection with a drill, the said vessel compris- J. L. DAVIDSON,

ing means by which a predetermined quan- R. D. ALEXANDER. 

